Star Wars: The Balance of the Force
by IanO
Summary: Set before Phantom Menace, QuiGon and ObiWan investigate a deep disturbance in the force, leading to a discovery which will alter the history of the Jedi. Last two chapters are up! Completed! R&R please
1. Chapter 1: Taanab

**STAR WARS**

**THE BALANCE OF THE FORCE**

**IT IS THE DAYS OF PEACE IN THE TIME OF THE OLD PREPUBLIC.**

**THE GALAXY IS PROTECTED BY THE JEDI ORDER**

**WHO KEEP THE PEACE BETWEEN WARRING NATIONS **

**AND PLANETS IN CONFLICT.**

**WHILE THE SENATE DEALS WITH INTERNAL PROBLEMS OF **

**CORRUPTION AND SCANDALS,**

**THE JEDI COUNCIL FOCUSES ON TRAINING THEIR OWN**

**AND LEARNING THE WAYS OF THE FORCE, WHILE SAFEGUARDING THE GALAXIES CITIZENS.**

**ON THE PLANET OF TAANAB,**

**FAR FROM THE SQUABBLINGS OF THE GALACTIC GOVERNMENT,**

**TWO JEDI JOIN THE ASSIGNMENT OF KEEPING PEACE**

**BEWTEEN TWO WARRING TRIBES.**

**Chapter 1**

**Taanab**

The Republic Cruiser sailed gently through space towards the planet of Taanab. It was an exotic planet of blue, orange and green; vast oceans swirled with tiny islands. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn peered through the cockpit window at this tropical planet. He nodded to the pilot and walked back to the lobby of the ship. There stood Qui-Gon's apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan was about twenty years of age, dressed in brown robes, short blonde hair with a single braid from his right side, the sign of a Jedi padawan.

"Have we reached Taanab?" he asked his master.

"Yes, we will be landing shortly."

"And Master Kayden is already there?"

"Yes, he and his padawan have been monitoring the situation for weeks already."

"Then what is the purpose of our visit?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Decon is a good friend of mine. He told me about the dispute and I decided it would be a good experience for you," Qui-Gon answered.

"But we've dealt with border disputes before," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"There is always more to learn."

With that they made ready to land. The Cruiser entered the planets atmosphere and flew down across the ocean surface, flying over dots of sandy islands and slivers of atolls. The approached a relatively larger island which was speckled with small spaceports and piers.

"The Hadarian port," Qui-Gon pointed out from the cockpit, "They have allowed us to keep residence there during our mediation.

"Won't the Tragans object to that? Won't they think we're taking sides?"

"Decon will have things under control."

The cruiser began its landing onto a large platform which hung over the coast, making a slow, lumbering decent from the sky.

The cruiser landed on Tanja, one of the primary islands on Taanab, and home to the Hadarian capital. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan exited the cruiser and were met instantly by two Jedis who were waiting there on the platform already.

Master Decon Kayden smiled as he shook Qui-Gon's hand. He was a well-built man, a little younger than Qui-Gon, with short dark hair. He wore no robe, but only the normal brown dressings of the standard Jedi garments.

"Qui-Gon! It's so good to see you again my friend. Thank you for coming all this way."

"Decon, my assistance is always available to you," he answered with a returning smile, "I would like you to meet Obi-Wan Kenobi, my padawan."

"And I would like you to meet my own padawan, Shen Li," he introduced the Jedi standing behind him. She was a young, beautiful woman with tanned skin and black, neck-length hair. She wore the garments of the Jedi as well, with brown robes covering her chest but not her stomach. They were both clearly dressed for tropical weather.

"This conflict between the Hadarians and the Tragans is complex, but I believe it will be a good learning experience for both our padawans Qui-Gon."

"Any experience is a learning experience," Qui-Gon pointed out.

"Ah yes," Decon laughed, "Qui-Gon Jinn the great philosopher. Anyways, follow us. We have your quarters arranged here in the Hadarian port. We will take you to meet the negotiators once you are settled."

Their quarters were sleek and comfortable, with a window overlooking the view of the ocean and surrounding islands. A druid was stationed with them to bring them whatever refreshments they desired.

"We need no refreshments at the moment," Qui-Gon told the druid, "Please let Master Kayden know we are ready to meet the negotiators."

"Very well," the protocol druid said in a squeaky voice as he left the room.

"It seems very calm here," Obi-Wan pointed out, "Very unlike other negotiations we have observed."

"That is when we must be most weary," Qui-Gon warned him.

The druid returned moments later and said "Follow me."

The druid took them to the main conference room in the port where Decon and Shen were waiting outside. In the room they saw two different species on opposite ends of a large table.

The Hadarians were of normal human build, only with gray skin and gills on their faces. They looked tough yet reasonable. The Tragans looked much tougher however, with large shoulders and brown skin, with stretched out faces and tusks coming from each side of their mouths.

"There are now four Jedi?" the Tragan leader said gruffly as he saw the newcomers, "What is the need for four?"

"They send more because you continue to deny us a solution!" The Hadarian leader spoke up with a glubby voice.

"Gentlemen, please," Qui-Gon said calmly, "We thank you for accommodating us. We are here to hear both sides and to help only."

"You know nothing of the history of the Tragans or you would know that the Yarga islands have always been in our possession."

"There have been no Tragans in the Yargas for centuries! You cannot abandon it and then come back to reclaim anytime you wish!"

"Garbok, Yul, please. We shall hear both of your claims. Perhaps it will be more useful to hear them each separately," Decon suggested.

"Perhaps," Qui-Gon agreed.

"No doubt you will take the Hadarian's side, as you have took their lodgings, Jedi," Garbok scowled, "We have nothing more to say today. Perhaps tomorrow we will talk."

With that the Tragans left the room.

"Tomorrow then," Qui-Gon nodded to the others, looking not at all disappointed.


	2. Chapter 2: The Yargas

**Chapter 2**

The blazing morning sun rose over the islands of Taanab as the hover shuttle shot past the waterways between the islands. The slender silver bus cruised onwards from the Hadarian capitol towards the territory of the Tragans.

"The Yargas are not far from here," Decon explained inside the shuttle, "The Tragans have suggested the mediations take place there, on neutral ground."

"Neutral? I would hardly call the land they are contesting over neutral," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"Well, yes," Decon conceded, "None the less, it is less of an advantage to either side."

"Will we meet hostility?" Qui-Gon asked, though without much concern in his face.

"It is not really a combat zone," Shen explained to them, "It is militarized by both sides, but there is very little fighting. It is mostly stand offs, and not much movement. The Tragans and Hadarians both have opposing towers and cannons, though they remain mostly as threats rather than put into full action."

They soon noticed wider expanses of ocean and less frequent islands, until they finally came to a chain of many sandy land masses, the isle group known as the Yargas. The Yargas are sparsely inhabited, but are rich in rare minerals, making the area desired land for any society.

They reached the center of the islands. Qui-Gon looked out to see a series of valleys inland with hills on either side acting as a border between the two warring sides. There were large towers on the hills. Hadarian troops watched from their walls as the Tragan soldiers marched along the banks of the valley on the other side.

"Let's land there, where the Tragans have made an opening in their security fence," Decon told the pilot.

Garbok watched as the shuttle landed and he four Jedi strolled out. Yul stood on the other side of the platform, accompanied by a number of Hadarian guards.

"Greetings, Lord Garbok," Qui-Gon bowed as he approached his host.

"Now we can discuss this conflict with both sides on equal footing," Garbok said with a scowl in Yul's direction. Yul only nodded in response.

"Shall we negotiate here on the platform, or do you suggest somewhere else we may discuss things?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Perhaps our new Jedi friends would like a tour of the borders?" Garbok suggested.

The four Jedi agreed to this, as did Yul. Garbok motioned to his Tragan troops to bring transports.

Obi-Wan looked skeptically at the Tragan transports. They seemed to be nothing more than large steel platforms enclosed by railings. Each one could fit about a dozen people, all standing. It felt like he was flying on a sheet of scrap metal.

They glided along the bordering valley which seemed to run down the whole center of the main island chain. The whole way there were battlements on both sides, though no actual fighting between them.

They came to a stop in the middle of an island valley. Garbok thundered off the transport, moving his bulky Tragan body. Yul and the Jedis followed.

"We will negotiate here," Garbok grunted.

"Very well," Decon agreed, "It seems secluded here. No distractions."

Yul looked suspicious but eventually agreed.

So the party of six walked down the valley discussing the territory and the claim by each side. Obi-Wan noticed that Garbok seemed much calmer and he and Yul were much more co-operative without the pressures of their peers.

"Both claims seem reasonable," Qui-Gon said after much discussion, "yet it is important to come to a conclusion which will satisfy both the Tragans and the Hadarians. Perhaps we can discuss a shared settlement situation."

"The Hadarian council is open to this possibility," Yul said in his garbled voice.

"We will discuss it," Garbok nodded, "perhaps we should continue back to the transport."

So the negotiators and the four Jedi made their way back through the valley, walking underneath the island hills.

Suddenly, out of the blue, laser fire appeared from over the hill. Blasts barreled down towards the direction of the Jedi. Decon Kayden was struck in the chest, and fell immediately.

"Master!" Shen Li cried, as Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon quickly pulled out their lightsabers. One green and one blue blade were seen suddenly, deflecting the laser blasts.

Yul the Hadarian was also shot dead, and his body fell beside that of the Jedi. The Jedis saw Garbok lumbering towards the hill where the fire was coming from. There they saw an army of Tragan soldiers coming over the rise. They were betrayed.

"It's an ambush!" Qui-Gon called to the two younger Jedis, "We have to get out of here!"

The three Jedis fled the valley away from the ranks of large, tusked soldiers in earth-toned body armor. They reached the flat Tragan hover transport and sped off between the hills to the coasts of the islands to escape this unexpected army.


	3. Chapter 3: Battle of The Yargas

**Chapter 3**

Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Shen Li sped off across the island landscape in their Tragan land transport and were immediately chased by the Tragan soldiers on transports of their own. They came to the edge of the main island, sailing over the coast and skimming across the water. Qui-Gon steered the hovercraft towards the closest island while Obi-Wan and Shen Li stood at the back deflecting the laser blasts from the pursuing soldiers with their lightsabers.

Spray flew from the engines of the square crafts creating a wake behind them. Qui-Gon flew the transport over the sandy beaches of the next island, which was much smaller than the last island, and sailed over the gassy middle, and out past the beach on the other side to the ocean again. At least five Tragans transports followed right behind them.

Qui-Gon turned to the left towards another island which looked much richer in vegetation with more jungle area to hide themselves. Obi-wan deflected laser after laser, finally sending one back to the central computer of the foremost Tragan craft, sending it hurling into the water in an exploding fireball.

"Prepare to abandon the craft when we reach the island!" Qui-Gon called back to the two padawans.

He pulled the transport over the beach again, running across the beach for a while and then pulling a sharp left into the trees. All three Jedi leapt off the transport, landing in the island jungle below, while the four chasing vessels flew past over them.

They stalked through the tropical trees, watching for any sign of the large, grotesque Tragan soldiers. They came out into the open and snuck through a small trench created by two rolling, green hills. The hills just reached past their heads so that they were hidden as they walked.

"This is wrong," Qui-Gon mused quietly, "We should never have been caught by that ambush. How did it take us by surprise?"

"Master?" Obi-Wan asked questioningly, wondering what his teacher was thinking.

But Qui-Gon only stood out to space and said, "I have a bad feeling about this." With that they continued in silence.

Shen Li led the way as she was more familiar with the islands on this planet. She was still shaking from the death of her master. Sweat dripped off of her skin with the sun baring down on them. Her Jedi robes were cut short to battle the heat. She held her lightsaber tightly in her hand, ready to strike any Tragans they would find.

Qui-Gon followed behind her, staying alert, but with his mind wandering to the distance. He couldn't help but think there was some larger worry here. Obi-wan followed his master with the same concern.

The only thing they heard were the calls of the island birds and the low rolling of the waves. Then suddenly they were attacked again, with no warning, as the Tragan soldiers, with their broad shoulders hunched over and their tusks sticking from their helmets, rose over the hills and caught the three Jedi in the middle. There were about ten Tragans on either side, holding out their guns.

"You monsters!" Shen Li cried as she sprung, waving her blue lightsaber towards the first soldier down the hill, striking him dead. The others attacked her immediately.

"Shen Li!" Obi-Wan cried out, but it was too late. She fought off as many of the blasts as she could, but there were too many of them. One of the lasers struck her in the side of the head and she fell to the ground dead.

"Back Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon cried as they ran back from where they just came from. Qui-Gon Quickly struck down the first two soldiers to turn and chase them. O-bi-Wan ran up the hill, leading him and his master out of the trap of the trench.

"We have to get back to the Hadarians," Qui-Gon told him.

"There!" Obi-Wan pointed to a couple of abandoned transports parked on the grass on the other side of the hill. But as they ran towards them, they saw the Tragan soldiers also running back to get the transports.

The two Jedis moved with amazing speed and reach the transports at the same time as the seven Tragans. They moved with quick agility to attack the soldiers, and soon all seven of them were down with mortal lightsaber wounds.

"We must reach Tanja."

The Jedis jumped on the first transport and sped off the island and back across the ocean.

Qui-Gon flew between the islands this time. The specks of land flew past them as they sailed over the blue ocean surface. As they came to the central Yarga island, they saw that the Hadarian armies had already arrived and were massing on their own side.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan approached the Hadarian army and went over the gilled and gray-skinned commander.

"Master Qui-Gon, I know you wish for a peaceful solution, but we have no choice," he said.

"I understand," Qui-Gon nodded, "The Tragans are the aggressors here. Though I do not wish for a war to break out, it is in the best interests on peace here that the Hadarians secure this area for the time being. But not to claim possession. This is important."

"That is not the Hadarians wish," the commander agreed, "We wish for a shared treaty, not total control."

"The Tragans will agree to this once they lose control of their towers here," Qui-Gon nodded, "But we must move quickly.

So the Hadarian army crossed over the neutral zone into Tragan territory. They were met with fire from the towers, many of which were blocked by the Haradians' group shields. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan each lead a unit towards the watch towers. Both of the Jedis reached their towers without much problem.

Qui-Gon fought his way up the tower and reach the control room. The Tragan officers turned and saw that they had none of their soldiers left to protect them. They raised their hands in the air to surrender.

"The Hadarians will take control of this area until a suitable treaty is worked out," Qui-Gon spoke to them, "You shall be released as a sign of good will. Take this news back to your leaders. The Hadarians still wish for peace.

The Tragans towers and territory was quickly seized by the Hadarians with the help of the two Jedi. The officers were sent back to the Tragan to discuss treaty options. When all was finished, the Hadarian commander approached Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan on the battlefield.

"Now the Tragans shall finally listen to negotiations," he said, "Thank you for your help, both of you. The bodies of Masters Kayden and Li shall be brought to your ship in Tanja and you may return to Coruscant whenever you wish."

"Thank you. We shall leave shortly. I wish to see the council immediately. But first, we shall have a proper funeral for our companions" Qui-Gon bowed.

"Very well," the commander nodded as he parted with the Jedis.


	4. Chapter 4: Coruscant

**Chapter 4**

The planet of Coruscant was buzzing with activity as it always was. The presence of a republic cruiser entering the atmosphere and sailing above the thousands of skyscrapers would never even be noticed among the lines of airborne traffic streaming through the planet-wide city.

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon flew towards one of the most famous buildings on the planet: the Jedi Temple. The large pinnacle structure, cornered by four slightly smaller pinnacles, rose high into the skyline. The cruiser flew towards one of the hangers near the outside of the temple's plaza.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stood in the center of the Jedi council room, surrounded by a ring of seats where the members of the council sat. They faced the leaders of the council: the small-statured Yoda, the powerful Mace Windu, and the wise and thoughtful Ki-Adi Mundi. Qui-Gon reported everything that had occurred on Taanab only days earlier.

"The loss of master Kayden and Padawan Li is hard," Yoda spoke in a grave tone, "Miss them we shall."

"Their efforts on Taanab shall not go to waste," Qui-Gon said with some assurance.

"We shall send a new Jedi team there to insure that the negotiations will go smoothly," Mace nodded, "I would think to send the two of you to return there, but I sense that you have something else on your mind Master Qui-Gon."

"Yes, I must say that this attack on us has been troubling me greatly. It is not easy to ambush four Jedi together without any of us sensing it, especially for a simple army such as the Tragans. I feel that something is wrong."

"Wrong in what way?" Ki-Adi Mundi questioned.

"Almost as though there is a disruption in the force," Qui-Gon explained, "Something which prevented us from foreseeing the attack. Something which allowed one of our finest masters and his student to fall so easily. What happened on Taanab should never have happened at all."

The council members looked around the room at each other in silence. Mace glanced down at Yoda and an understanding fell between them.

"I know your concern Qui-Gon," Mace nodded, "For a long time now the council has worried about a weakening of the Jedi. We have noticed a decreasing ability to use the force by many of our Order."

"Very disturbing this is," Yoda added.

""We do not yet wish to inform the senate about our fears," Mace warned, "We do not yet fully understand the reason behind this phenomenon."

"I understand," Qui-Gon answered, "This is a problem for the Jedi, and so we shall find our own solution. So am I too believe that this disturbance is indeed being investigated?"  
"More effort is needed, this much has been made clear," Yoda said humbly, "The unfortunate deaths of two fine Jedi have proven this."

"Be assured that this is foremost of the councils concerns," Mace said as he dismissed the two Jedis.

Qui-Gon stood on a balcony elsewhere in the Jedi Temple, watching the distant traffic of Coruscant, which was now covered in night and full of the city lights. He was not satisfied with his meeting with the council. The answers they gave him made him feel as though there would be no action behind their words. This news about the Jedi's waning ability to use the force troubled him deeply.

"What do you think the council will do?" Obi-Wan shook Qui-Gon out of his thoughts as he approached.

"I don't know," Qui-Gon looked back out the balcony, "I feel their knowledge about this is limited. I am worried that this is a bigger crisis than it looks like on the surface."

"But the Jedi order has existed for thousands of years," the young student wondered, "Surely our connection with the force cannot be so easily lost."

"Do not underestimate powers which are still beyond your understanding, my young padawan," Qui-Gon told him, "True knowledge of the force is hard to achieve, and total knowledge would be impossible for anyone, even the wisest of Jedi."

Obi-Wan simply nodded. He knew how lucky he was to have Qui-Gon Jinn as his master. Obi-Wan could not think of a wiser Jedi he would rather have as his teacher.

The master and his student stood in silence for a few more minutes until they were joined by Yoda, whose presence took them by surprise.

"Master Yoda," Qui-Gon greeted him.

"Master Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan," He nodded as he slowly made his way towards them this his small green feet and his walking stick, "Troubled by these occurrences I know you are."

"I am sorry Master Yoda, but I feel there is something darker behind this problem we seem to face."

"Agree with this, I do," Yoda nodded, "That is why I am here. Discover the truth of this we must."

"But how?" Obi-Wan naively asked.

"Tell you I will," he said as he attempted to pull himself on to the ledge of the balcony to stand at eye level with the two human Jedis.

"There is a man I know," he continued, "Strong with the force is he."

"A Jedi?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Jedi he is not," Yoda said, "A pupil of the force only. Very in tune with the force he is. For centuries he has studied the ways of the force. Answers he may have."

"Do you know where to find him?" Qui-Gon asked intriguingly.

"Met him only once have I," Yoda said, "Long ago. His whereabouts now, I do not know."

"So how do we find him?" Obi-Wan wondered.

"Only those who prove themselves worthy in the force will he allow to see him," Yoda said as he turned to Qui-Gon.

"Qui-Gon. To Malastare you must go."

"To Malastare? Why?"

"Mmm," Yoda mused, "Trials there you must take, if find this mentor of the force you wish. On this quest send you I shall."

"You want me to go to Malastare to take a trial?"

"The mentor has hidden clues to his whereabouts," Yoda explained, "Only when you prove yourself, may you know them."

"You would be able to complete these trials far better than I," Qui-Gon reasoned, "Why should I take them?"

Yoda looked deep at Qui-Gon and bobbed his head. "Mmmm. To you this quest belongs. That much I can foresee."

Qui-Gon breathed deeply and nodded. "Very well, I shall take these trials, if it means I can learn more about this mystery set before us."

"Good luck, master Qui-Gon. May the force be with you."


	5. Chapter 5: Malastare

**Chapter 5**

**Malastare**

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan walked through the halls of the Senate's spaceport. Plans were arranged for them to travel to Malastare on a republic spacecoach. Usually the two Jedis would travel by charter Republic cruisers, but since this wasn't an official Republic mission, they were traveling using the public hyperspace routes.

On their way to the hanger, they were met by a three-eyed, goat-like alien named Ainlee Teem, one of Malastare's senate representatives. He was conversing with the human senator from Naboo and the Mon Calamari senator.

"Master Jinn, Padawan Kenobi," he greeted them in a high, almost gurgling voice, "You are on your way to Malastare I hear?"

"Yes, Jedi business," Qui-Gon nodded, "Training for myself and my padawan."

"So I hear," Teem said, "I hope you find my planet accommodating."

"I am sure that I will. I have spent a good portion of my life in Malastare," Qui-Gon told him.

"Ah yes, I have forgotten Master Jinn. Well then, I wish good luck to you both."

With that, the Jedis parted from the three senators and continued to the hanger where the large Republic shuttle was being loaded with passengers.

"Will it feel good to be going home?" Obi-Wan asked his mentor as the shuttle pulled out of the hanger and left the Coruscant atmosphere.

"A Jedi belongs to the whole universe Obi-Wan," he answered with a smirk, "We do not have homes. But yes, it will be good to be home again."

Qui-Gon did not know anything about his parents or his true birthplace, but he was raised by other family in Malastare. It was here where the Jedi order discovered him and his talents with the Force. Since then he has tried to return to visit whenever possible.

The shuttle pulled out of orbit around the planet and shot off into hyperspace, turning the stars into white, blurry lines zooming past.

Meanwhile, back on Coruscant, in the dark, desolate district of the city, where very few of the citizens went unless they had reason, a ship began its landing. It was a long, slender black ship, with curved wings around a cockpit on one end, and a stretched pointed nose as the hull. The ship made its way across the cityscape without being noticed, and now landed with hardly any eyes to see it.

There was only one man in the area who was indeed watching the landing of the Infiltrator ship. He looked from the doorway of a tall, black building out of his black hood which covered his face. The man slowly walked down the ramped platform leading to the doorway to visit this newcomer.

The landing ramp of the ship lowered and another man in a black cloak exited. This one was much taller, and the face underneath the hood showed a tattooed pattern of red and black on his face. His eyes were sharp and menacing.

"Welcome my apprentice," the older, shorter man said in a croaky voice, "I am gland you could make it."

"Yes master," the taller one said with a wispy, hollow voice, "What is it you wish of me?"

"I have a mission for you. Two Jedi are on their way to Malastare. You must find them there and follow them to wherever they go next. Once you know this, contact me for further instructions. Is that clear, Lord Maul?"

"Yes Lord Sidius."

"Good," Lord Sidius said, "But Lord Maul, there is one more thing. It is very important."

"Yes, master?"

"You must not reveal yourself. The Jedi must not know of your presence. The time is not yet ripe. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my master. Our time will come."

"Yes. The time of the Sith shall soon fall upon the Jedi."

The Republic space shuttle cruised towards the planet of Malastare. The planet was a marbled colour of blue oceans and white land masses. Almost all of Malastare's land was formed from sandstone.

The shuttle entered the atmosphere and flew on towards the capitol city of Malar in an area of the planet known very simply as Malastare Central, home to many of the largest cities. Malastare was a very important manufacturing planet in the galaxy, specializing in droid technology.

"Where do we go when we reach the Malar?" Obi-Wan asked as they watched the city growing in their window.

"We will need a transport to the caves," Qui-Gon answered, "I have a friend who may help us there."

Dane Melanger walked outside his droid factory's main building onto the large veranda outside which looked over Malar's cityscape. The building behind him was tall and slender, sliver, and rounded at the top, like most of the buildings in Malastare's min city. He himself was dressed in a white uniform, with a blue-embroidered v-neck collar. He was a fit man, with short black hair which was starting to grow hints of silver along the sides.

Dane looked down the veranda and saw a man walking towards him. He noticed the man was dressed in brown and tan Jedi robes, and instantly knew it had to be his old friend.

"Qui-Gon Jinn!" he greeted his visitor, "Welcome back!"

"It's good to see you Dane!" Qui-Gon said with a smile as they shook hands like long-lost friends.

"It's been years, Qui-Gon," Dane said, "I don't think you've been back since you were made a master."

"Yes, that was many years ago now," qui-Gon chuckled.  
"Are you on the council yet?" Dane inquired.

"Not yet, and that will be many more years to come, I am sure."

"Well, it is good to see you. So what brings you to Malastare?" Dane continued as they walked together down his company's wide veranda.

"Oh, just Jedi business. Nothing which would interest you much," Qui-Gon spoke, "How is the factory?"

"Business is going well, very well in fact," he said as he led Qui-Gon to the other side of the building where two large hydraulic doors were opening, "We have just finished a new shipment of astro droids. Here they come now."

Through the doors of the factory, a double line of small, round, three-legged astromech droids rolled out. They were making a straight line to a cargo ship on the other side of the veranda. A number of employees were standing by to supervise.

"Where is this shipment headed?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Naboo. The royal palace there in fact," Dane said with some pride.

As they watched the droid line procession, one of the droids, a blue and white one with silver trim, started turning out of line and wheeling down the veranda. He began whistling like crazy and spinning his round top as he sped away. The employees ran to chase him down, but the droid just began whistling more, as though it was taunting them. Finally the employees caught up to him and pushed him back into line.

"Sorry sir," one of the employees came up to Dane when the droids were all loaded in the cargo ship, "That R2 unit was been causing us problems ever since he was constructed. Not sure what's wrong with him."

But Dane just laughed and waved it off. "Some droids are just feisty. Don't worry about it Jin." With that Dane and Qui-Gon walked back towards the main entrance of the building.

"I actually was wondering if I could ask a favour from you Dane," Qui-Gon finally presented.

"Anything."

"My apprentice and I are heading out to a set of caves in the Crystal Flats. We could use some transport there."

"Of course, I have a land speeder which can make its way quite well through the flats. Rough territory out there. When are you going?"

"Whenever you will take us," Qui-Gon said.

"I can take you as soon as tomorrow."

"Tomorrow it is then," Qui-Gon bowed.


	6. Chapter 6: The Trial Part 1

**Chapter 6**

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan walked down the streets of Malar towards the primary public hanger where many of the city's citizens stored their ships. Most of Malastare's population was made up of humans and three-eyed Grans, much like Ainlee Teem. There were also a variety of differing alien species who came to Malastare for its reputation as an economic powerhouse.

They reached Dane's personal hanger and saw Dane already waiting for them. Behind him was a gray and red spaceship shaped like a wedge, and several other smaller vehicles. One of which was a land cruiser, shaped like a tent with three rocket boosters on the back.

"Obi-wan Kenobi, meet my friend Dane Melanger," Qui-Gon introduced them.

"It is good to meet you," Obi-Wan answered.

"You're lucky to have such a good teacher, young Obi-Wan," Dane said with a laugh, "Even if he relies too much on others for rides. Anyways, the land cruiser is ready to go. Shall we?"

They cruised out of the city and over the white, sandstone which covered the land of Malastare. The white land cruiser had a lot of speed across this open space. Obi-Wan could see other cities off to the side, looking much like Malar. Ahead was nothing but a white horizon.

The trip across the flats took a couple of hours. They then reached large basin which contained a number of hills and caves. The basin was covered with what appeared to be crystal formations at the cave entrances and as tors on the tops of the hills.

"We have reached the Crystal flats," Dane told them as he landed the cruiser just to the side of the basin, "If what ever you seek is in these caves Qui-Gon, good luck. Many have tried to mine the caves, to no avail. This is a dangerous place indeed."

"I will be fine," Qui-Gon said as he stood up, adjusting his robes and his lightsaber clipped to his belt.

Obi-Wan stood up also, but Qui-Gon stopped him.

"I am sorry Obi-Wan, but Master Yoda has requested that I do this alone."

"If it is dangerous, you will need my help," obi-Wan answered defiantly.

"This is no place for a padawan," Qui-Gon refused, "Stay here with Dane until I guess back."

Obi-wan submitted and sat back down in the cruiser seats. Qui-Gon left the cruiser and walked towards the basin, ready for the trials still set before him.

Qui-Gon climbed down the basin and reached the entrance of the crystal caves. All was dark inside. He stepped in and felt strange, almost like he had just walked through some sort of invisible barrier. He caves had only faint light inside, shining off of the small amounts of crystal poking out of the cave walls. Qui-Gon lit up his green lightsaber for more light.

The cave entrance was very long and narrow, and seemed to go on forever. But Qui-Gon patiently walked down the tunnel, staying alert for whatever was to come next.

Qui-Gon had lost all sense of time as he walked that tunnel. He may have been there for hours or he may have been there for minutes. Time was distorted to him, but he did not let that scare him. He knew he would find something in these caves, no matter how long it would take. Sure enough, he eventually came to the end of the tunnel, and the cave opened up into a much larger space.

Before him was an underground lake which stretched far into the distance. But this was not a lake of water. Qui-Gon noticed that it was some other type of fluid, almost like liquid crystal. Nor was the lake still. It seemed to be flowing ahead, despite not having a source. Qui-Gon realized there was some force acting on it.

There was no way around the lake since only the solid flat walls surrounded it. The only way across Qui-Gon could see was a small piece of floating solid ground which looked to be almost fifty meters away. Qui-Gon knew this was the first trial.

Qui-Gon concentrated hard on the floating piece of crystal ice ahead of him. He took a running leap over the water and landed square onto the small platform, which bobbed up and down as his weight pushed down on it.

Immediately after he landed on the piece of ice, the lake began to inexplicably flow away from the cave shore. The large flat of crystal ice which covered most of the lake ahead was now breaking up into small pieces as the lake flowed. Qui-Gon steadied himself on his ice raft as it picked up incredible speed through the crystal liquid which made up this mysterious lake.

Qui-Gon could feel the piece underneath his feet cracking and ready to brake up. He had to jump to the next piece, but it was rushing further and further away from him. He cleared his mind, concentrated on the ice, and leapt.

He landed on the distant ice flat, which immediately began to break. He jumped to the next one, as only a Jedi could jump. The ice pieces were moving faster and further away each time he moved to the next one. Qui-Gon soared from ice piece to ice piece, moving with the flow of the moving crystal lake.

After his many leaps and bounds down the rushing lake, he came to the end: a quick drop off over a cliff. On the other side Qui-Gon could see solid ground. The ice platform he was on was racing towards the drop. Qui-Gon stared straight ahead over the gorge ahead to the other side. This would take the longest leap yet to make it across. Just as his piece of ice reached the end of the drop off, Qui-Gon bounced off his feel, sailed to the other side, and landed smoothly. He had made it through to the next stage.

Qui-Gon found himself in a further extension of the massive crystal cave, though now it had become much darker without the silvery glow which came from the lake. He wandered into the dark abyss before him, wondering what would be next and staying alert.

As Qui-Gon stepped carefully into the cave, he suddenly felt a presence behind him and heard a deep breathing. He quickly threw on his lightsaber blade and swung around, striking down a creature that was leaping up towards him. The creature fell at his feet. Qui-Gon lowered the light of his blade to see a cat-like beast with its head shaped like and arrow with four beady, red eyes on top.

It was a Nexu, a fierce creature used on many planets for security and tracking. The cat lay there fallen and bleeding at the neck. Qui-Gon looked up from the beast into the darkness, where there now appeared a number of sets of four glowing, red eyes. This cave was full of Nexi.

Tiny growls were heard all around him, which grew with intensity as the eyes inched nearer. The Nexi attacked their Jedi prey, who swung his lightsaber with great precision, each time striking the nearest beast to him.

The Nexi were ferocious, biting for his arms and chest. One managed to get Qui-Gon's arm in its jaws, but Qui-Gon quickly brought down his saber on its head. Immediately from the other side, two more sprung at him. He knelt down, swinging his blade across ones belly and jabbing up into the belly of the other.

Soon he was surrounded by a ring of Nexi, who paused and snapped their jaws in anticipation of a kill. Qui-Gon lowered his blade slightly, pausing to think. Then he leapt forward, over the Nexi, who bit at his legs as he passed, and landed out side the ring, striking down the nearest Nexi to him.

The others attacked quickly, each meeting the light blade of the Jedi master. Qui-Gon could feel the blood dripping from his arm, but it did not affect his swordplay. Soon, all the Nexi in the cave were dead, and Qui-Gon had emerged from the third trial victoriously.


	7. Chapter 7: The Trial Part 2

**Chapter 7**

Obi-Wan Kenobi leaned against the side of the land cruiser with his arms crossed and an anxious look on his face.

"Don't worry," Dane said to him as he finished refueling his cruiser, "I have known your master for a long time, young Obi-Wan. He'll be alright."

"I have no doubt," Obi-wan said, "But he has been gone a long time."

"So I guess your Jedi training hasn't reached the patience part yet, hey?" Dane said with a laugh. Obi-Wan allowed himself a smile.

"Yes, I suppose your right," he said as he uncrossed his arms and breathed in a deep breath, relaxing his mind while he waited.

Qui-Gon Jinn wander through another dark corridor which led to yet another cave chamber. Yet this was the largest chamber so far. He walked through an archway and immediately stopped. Below his feet was a vast gorge, plunging deep below into the darkness. The gorge stretched on to the other side where Qui-Gon saw another archway leading to another tunnel.

The whole chamber was lit up by the crystals in the cave so that Qui-Gon could see there was no path around the chamber to reach the Gorge, but there were what appeared to be large pillars carved from the rock on either end of the gorge. Yet only sheer rock. There was no way to reach the pillars or reach the other side, and it was far too great a distance to leap, even for a Jedi.

Qui-Gon looked around the room three times, concentrating on reaching the other side. Was he supposed to attempt a jump anyways, despite the fact that not even Yoda in his prime could make a jump like that? Was it a leap of faith?

But no. It soon came to him. The pillars. He was supposed to use the pillars.

Qui-Gon stood for a moment with his hands at his sides and his eyes closed. He knelt down onto the cave floor and meditated, concentrating on the pillars. The first pillar began to break from the cave wall, and Qui-Gon forced his mind to rip it out and sail it over across the gorge, putting it into place in front of him.

Qui-Gon realized it would take all four pillars to make a bridge to the other side. He stretched his mind and concentration as far as he could. The other three pillars also broke off from the cave wall and floated into place. Qui-Gon struggled to move all three at once but managed to move them into place, creating a bridge right to the other side of the gorge.

Qui-Gon realized that he would have to hold the pillars up with his mind even as he walked across them, for they were still only bridging the gap by floating over the deep gorge. He held the thought of them in his mind as he slowly walked onto the first pillar and made his way across. He stepped carefully across the old, stone columns and finally reached the end. He stepped into the archway on the other side and released the pillars from his mind. The four pillars fell suddenly to the bottom of the gorge. A moment later, Qui-Gon heard a large crash as the whole chamber shook.

Qui-Gon relaxed his mind and turned through the archway. It was time to keep going forward and face the next trial.

The next cave chamber was much smaller and much darker. Qui-Gon could immediately feel some force pushing upon him the moment he stepped in. He could feel a dark presence here. He could feel the dark side. Qui-Gon knew the moment he had stepped into the place that it was now time for his Jedi spirit to be tested.

Qui-Gon stood in the middle of the room and removed his lightsaber from his belt, holding it readily at his side. He waited. Then out of the darkness, a red lightsaber blade swept towards him. He threw on his own green blade, and met the red saber. But when he looked, he saw that there was no one behind the blade, and it suddenly dissolved into nothing. Qui-Gon lowered his saber.

Again, another red blade came, but this time from behind. Qui-Gon turned and met it again, and again it dissolved. He was being attacked not by a Sith or a being at all. He was being assaulted by the Dark Side itself.

Suddenly, Qui-Gon could see black figure swirling around him. They looked like cloaks, with no one underneath. They swirled around him madly. Qui-Gon soon became dizzy and sunk to the ground. The shadow figures were surrounding him. They felt like they were reaching into his mind. He could hear whisperings.

The shadows were talking to him. He were telling him he couldn't escape them now. They were taunting him. They were pulling up all of the fears from the deepest parts of his mind. The failing of the republic. The waning of the Jedi order. His mind was now swirling with these thoughts.

The council is corrupted, Qui-Gon.

"No," Qui-Gon whispered.

You know this.

"No, the Jedis will not be corrupted." He knew the dark side was taunting him. He would have to stay true to himself.

But now the cloak figures were moving in on him. He could hear shrill voices taking over his head. They were closing in on him. Under the cloaks he could see only mouths with sharp, yellow teeth. The cloaks now had red blades again. The Dark Side was consuming him.

But Qui-Gon Jinn was too strong to be consumed. He was a Jedi, pure at heart. The Dark Side would never take him. He raised himself up and faces the shadows. He opened his eyes, raised his hands, and pushed back with his mind. The shadows cried out with one last attempt at him, but it would not work. Qui-Gon pushed his hands out and cleared his mind of all thought. The shadows were vanquished, the red blades put out. Now he was alone again in an empty cave.

Qui-Gon made his way to the last chamber of the caves. This one was much more open and had a lot more light. Crystals in the cave wall glittered all around him. He stood at the top of the hollow with stairs leading down to the floor. There was a lone basin in the middle of the cave. Hovering overtop of the basin was a small, silver orb.

Qui-Gon walked down the stars to the orb and reached for it. Once he grabbed it he turned over his hand and a light suddenly emitted from it. Qui-Gon soon realized that this orb was in fact a holomap, showing the entire galaxy. The map spread out through the whole room, hovering as though in its own orbit. These were the same holomaps they used in the Jedi archives.

Qui-Gon noticed that one of the stars shone brighter than the others. It was sitting near the very end of the galaxy. Qui-Gon oriented himself in the map to discern which system this star was showing. Finally he deduced that it was the Iago System. That was his new destination. Qui-Gon closed his hand over the orb and the map disappeared.

Obi-Wan still waited outside the caves, once again leaning on the land cruiser. Finally he saw a figure walking along the flats.

"Master Qui-Gon!" he called out.

"Qui-Gon walked victoriously back to the cruiser as Obi-Wan and Dane came to meet him.

"It is over. I have passed the trials."

"Way to go Qui-Gon. I knew you would," Dane smiled.

"What were the trials?" Obi-wan eagerly asked.

Qui-Gon laughed at his apprentice. "Come, let's head back to Malar. I will explain it all there."


	8. Chapter 8: Malastare at Night

**Chapter 8**

Evening was setting in on Malar as the dark ship entered the Malastare atmosphere. The ship was the same as one which had landed in Coruscant's only days previous. It was a Sith Infiltrator, the ship of Darth Maul.

The ship landed on the outskirts of the white-spired city. The black and red faced Maul stood outside the ship looking through a pair of electrobinolculars. Magnified through the binoculars was the image of a lone cruiser making its way back to the city. The infrared setting showed three humans in the vehicle.

Darth Maul lowered the binoculars and grinned an evil grin with his yellow teeth underneath his black hood.

They arrived back at Dane's quarters which were the bottom two levels of a tall building very close to his droid factory. Dane and the two Jedi sat around his futuristic dining room as Dane's server droids prepared meals in the kitchen.

"Iago is out, far out," Dane said as he handed Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan steaming mugs of Malastarian salt tea, "Only the most dedicated deep space pilots venture that far. It's at the end of the galaxy almost."

"I don't think anyone can presume to know just where the end of the galaxy is," Qui-Gon remarked with a soft smile, "But yes, it will take a fast ship and a good pilot to reach it."

"Surely there will be a Republic transport which can take us out there," Obi-Wan suggested.

"Not one that will go that far," Qui-Gon said, "And Master Yoda wishes us to keep this mission as secret as possible. This Galen has went to many lengths to keep his location private, and so it should remain private."

"I own a space jet," Dane spoke up, "And in my youth I was quite the pilot. You remember Qui-Gon."

"Of course I do, when you were only twelve years old you believed you could tackle the Kessel run already," Qui-Gon said with a chuckle.

"I can take you out there," Dane offered, "It's been a while since I've stretched my space legs. I'd love to do it."

"We appreciate that Dane," he said with a nod to show he accepted the offer

"But how will we know how to find this Galen even when we reach Iago?" Obi-Wan asked.

Qui-Gon held out his hand revealing the orb he collected at the end of the trials in the cave. "This orb, I believe, is a tracking deice. Once we reach Iago, it should help us find the right path."

"Very well. I will prepare my ship tomorrow and arrange everything at my factory for me to leave. We should be able to leave the day after."

As the three of them discussed their plans, none of then noticed that just outside the window hovered a black, round probe droid. The droid detracted its sonar listening extension and hovered away from the window with a whistling sound to report back to where it came from.

The probe droid buzzed its way back to Darth Maul who stood near his ship on the outskirts of the city. The droid circled around the Sith lord and played the audio recording it made of the discussion in Dane's quarters.

"This orb, I believe, is a tracking deice. Once we reach Iago, it should help us find the right path."

Darth Maul made the droid repeat this recorded line from the voice of Qui-Gon Jinn. Darth Maul showed his nasty, yellow teeth as his grinned wide. He knew now where this mysterious Force guru known only as Galen could now be found. His master's bidding would soon be done.

Late that same night, a ball-shaped ship coloured in green and brown camouflage entered the space above Malar. It landed in a very dodgy looking spaceport in the south end of the city. As the ramp on the side opened, a very large bounty hunter exited this ship.

He looked almost like a very large droid, which armour covering every part of his body. His face was masked by a helmet of grey metal, allowing only his very cold looking eyes to show through. He had large, white gloves on his hands, and a chest plate covered in the same camouflage as his ship. Strapped to his back were two crossed rifle-blasters. Along his chest was a belt of thermal detonators. He truly gave the appearance of a force to be reckoned with.

"You are the bounty hunter Barge?" a cold, undertoned voice spoke from the shadows.

"Yes," answered the deep, resonating voice from under the helmet, "Speak your business."

From the dark corner of the spaceport emerged a cloaked figure, moving silently towards the newcomer. Darth Maul kept his eyes hidden under his hood, and only his tattooed mouth could be seen by the bounty hunter.

"I have a job for you. If you speak of this job or of myself to anyone else, I will know. And you will regret it. Do you understand?"

"I do not take well to threats," Barge boomed. But Darth Maul merely pulled back his hood and stared Barge down with his frigid, evil eyes. The dark forces surrounding his being were made very aware to Barge, who stood down his guard.

"I understand. What is the job?"

"You are to accompany me to the planet Iago. I have business there. But I cannot be disturbed or spotted. There will be two Jedi on this planet, seeking what I seek. I need you to take care of these Jedi. Have you dealt with the Jedi before?"

"I have killed a Jedi before," Barge spoke, raising his chest with pride.

"Good," Maul hissed, "We leave the day after tomorrow."


	9. Chapter 9: Iago

**Chapter 9**

Obi-Wan Kenobi approached the wedge-shaped silver spaceship. As Jedi, they traveled very light, so they didn't have much baggage, only a couple satchels among the both of them.

"That's all you're taking?" Dane called down from on top of the ship, where he was tweaking the last few things before they left.

"All a Jedi really needs are his saber and his wits," Obi-Wan replied with a sly smile.

"Well, you're Qui-Gon's student all right," Dane laughed, "Is he almost ready?"

"He's on his way. How long should it take to get there?" Obi-Wan asked.

"To Iago? Can't say. Never been out nearly that far. But the _Comet_ here can make the journey, don't doubt that. But it's a long way, even in hyperspace. Luckily the _Comet's_ got a good, solid hyperdrive."

"Is everything ready?" Qui-Gon asked as he walked into Dane's hanger.

"All ready to go. Bee-Zed, you ready?" Dane called out. A small grey and black droid about four feet tall walked down the ship's ramp. He had a humanoid figure with a very square head.

"Ship's ready to go," he spoke in a very mechanical voice.

"Good, so are we," Dane said as he climbed down off of the ship's hull, "All aboard!"

The _Comet _flew off leaving the spires of Malar behind. The slender ship glided gracefully through the blue, cloud-dotted skies of Malastare and out past the atmosphere into the space surrounding it. The white and blue swirled planet behind drew further away as the ship increased speed. Then in an instant, the stars streaked by as the ship blasted forward as it entered into hyperspace.

BZ-9, Dane's co-pilot droid, took control of the ship while Dane went back to the seating compartment where Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan sat around a squared table.

"Well, we're on our way," he plunked down next to Obi-Wan on the padded bench, "It will still be a long journey. We'll have to chance hyperspace coordinates a few times it looks like."

"We can be patient," Qui-Gon said.

"Once we get there, how do you plan on finding this guy?" Dane wondered, "Is that orb thingy supposed to lead us right to him?"

"I doubt it will be that precise," Qui-Gon explained, "More than likely it will only lead us to the general location, enough so that we know where to land. I don't suppose he would have it lead us straight to him."

"Why not? How are we to find him then?" Obi-Wan asked.

"We can sense him," Qui-Gon pointed out, "Master Yoda said he is very strong with the Force. If we concentrate enough we should be able to use our instincts to find him. I believe that that may truly be the last of the trials. A man who wants to be so hard to find, would not make it so easy at this point."

Obi-Wan nodded.

"Wow, you Jedi are complicated folk," Dane shook his head, "Anyways, make yourself comfortable. It'll be a good day or so before we reach Iago."

Meanwhile, in the black cockpit of the Sith Infiltrator, Darth Maul watched the streaking stars of hyperspace while he opened communications to the _Death Rock_, the feared ship of Barge the bounty hunter.

"When we reach Iago, stay in an orbit around the planet. We must not be seen," he said in his whispery, low tone.

"That's easy enough," the gruff voice on the other end replied, "So what's the plan then?"

"We wait for them to land. Then you take out their ship and distract them while I take care of my own business."

"We're coming out of hyperspace."

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan sat up and moved to the cockpit after hearing Dane over the ship's intercom system. BZ-9 had taken control of the ship while Dane stared out at the planet ahead.

"Well my Jedi friends, here we are at the farthest reaches of the galaxy," he said as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan entered the cockpit.

Small areas of light blues and greens could be seen on the surface of Iago, but almost all of it was covered in thin, white clouds. Around the planet were the many moons of Iago, suspended in space. The whole system of Iago seemed very surreal, as though everything here was frozen in time. The moons hung around the planet like flies around a lamp, yet everything seemed still.

"It's magnificent," Obi-Wan remarked.

"They say there are angels on those moons," Dane told him, "But I don't personally know anyone ho has actually been out this far."

BZ-9 spoke in a very rough and stoic robotic voice. "Where do we land?"

"Qui-Gon?" Dane looked to him.

Qui-Gon held the orb in his hand as they slowly revolved around the planet. The after a moment, the orb began to glow.

"There," he said, looking down at the coordinate screen on the ship's computer panel "Sector…. two. Take us down in that region."

"You heard him Bee-Zed."

The slick _Comet_ pierced through Iago's atmosphere and ducked underneath the thin layering of cloud. They flew over many tall mountains and low valleys, with lots of lakes and grasslands. The mountains were very high, but were very spaced out, instead of clumped in ranges as mountains usually are.

Even on the surface, the planet had an odd stillness to it. It was a beautiful land, but also looked like a very lonely place. The calmness of it astounded the three of them.

"It's so… I don't know how to describe it," Obi-Wan turned to his master.

"The force is strong with this place," Qui-Gon nodded.

"I think even I can feel it," Dane gaped.

"Sir, I am picking up another signal," BZ-9 said in his robotic voice, breaking the moment.

"What kind of signal?"

"Another ship, I think."

"Another ship?" Qui-Gon repeated, looking worrisome, "Why would there be another ship all the way out here? Something's not right. Can you fly closer?"

"Yes sir."

The _Comet_ rolled left around one of the tall Iagoan Peaks and just managed to catch a ship ahead wrapping around the other side of the mountain. BZ-9 captured the ship's image and put it up no the computer screen. The others looked to see a picture of a green, ball-shaped vessel armed with many outside laser cannons.

"That's a bounty hunter ship," Obi-Wan deduced.

"Yeah," Dane agreed, "It sure is. That can't be good news."

"I don't think we're the only one's looking for this Galen," Qui-Gon said worriedly.

The grey helmet of Barge stared at the view screens in his cockpit. His big, white glove reached for the com switch.

"They've spotted me," he said in his gruff, bounty hunter voice.

"Take down their ship," the whispery voice of Darth Maul came over the com, "I need the Jedi no longer."

"Good," Barge responded, ready to finally take some action.

The _Comet_ flew around the mountain, only to be suddenly taken by surprise by the round, camouflaged _Death Rock_ which had doubled back and was flying straight at them. Barge fired his blasters randomly, hitting the cliffs on the mountain. The cliff shattered and sent a rain of boulders coming down right over top of the silver _Comet_.

Dane piloted his ship quickly around the falling rocks, barely escaping their tumble to the ground. He put the _Comet_ into high speed as the _Death Rock_ was now spinning around to follow from behind.

Barge's lasers blasted the back of Dane's ship, but his shields were so far holding out.

"Hold on! I don't think this guy wants us on the ground!"

"I think he wants us on the ground," Obi Wan remarked, "Just not in the same manner as we do."

Dane maneuvered his ship around the next mountains, climbing very close to the cliffs, wrapping around the peak and slingshoting around in the other direction. Barge was quick to follow using the same move.

"Bee-Zed, full thrusters!" Dane ordered, "We can't get rid of this guy!"

Barge's grey, steely eyes gleamed through his helmets eye slits. He watched as the back end of the silver starship ahead swayed back and forth out of target range. Finally he managed to lock target.

"I've had enough of these guys," he grunted to himself as he reached over to a large, blue button on the control panel.

Out of a compartment near the bottom of his sphere-shaped ship came a large missile, camouflaged in the same green and brown pattern as the ship itself.

"Incoming sir," the droid said with the first hint of panic in his squeaky voice so far.

"Hold on!" Dane called back o the Jedis.

Dane pulled the ship up just as missile hit the tip of the right tail wing. The _Comet_ rocked, throwing its passengers around the cockpit.

"Bee-Zed!"

"It wasn't a direct hit sir," the droid reported, "But we cannot take another."

"Alright," Dane said determinedly as he pulled himself back into the pilot's seat, "It's time to lose this guy. Just hold on and trust me."

Obi-wan got back in his seat and looked worried, but Qui-Gon shook his head reassuringly, telling him in his own silent way to trust that Dane knew what he was doing.

The _Death Rock_ was now closing in on the _Comet_ as the sped through the mists of Iago, over the plains and lakes and between the mountain peaks. Ahead were three or four alpine peaks with a large field of snow between them. As they sailed by, Dane told Bee-Zed to take recordings of some sort.

"Well?" he asked as they flew past the snow field.

"It should work sir."

"What should work?" Obi-Wan asked cautiously.

"Hold on!"

Dane pulled the _Comet_ around and flew towards the snow field as the _death Rock _did the same. Then, without warning, Dane pulled the ship down and flew it nose-first into the snow. Both Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon wore shocked expressions as they plunged into the deep snow.

Soon the entire ship was immersed in the snow field. Barge looked around, wondering what had just happened. In all his years as a bounty hunter, he thought he had seen it all. But just before he could shake off his surprise, he realized he was flying off course, straight towards one of the cliffs. He quickly pulled his ship out of the sway, but wasn't quick enough. The side of the _Death Rock_ scraped along the mountain, sending the ball-shaped ship spinning out of control.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan watched the onrush of white snow outside of the view screen. The ship was very rocky as it borrowed through. Then Dane pulled the ship up again. The _Comet_ burst back through the surface of the snow, and was back out into the sky. Snow now fell off of the ship as it sailed out from the peaks.

"We have to take it own," Dane said, trying to keep control as the ship shook up and down, "It's hurting."

"Can you make it to where we were going to land before?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Yeah," Dane winced, still fighting for control, "Close enough anyways."

The _Comet_ sailed back over the misty plains and found a good landing space on a grass field. Dane set the ship down as easily as he could.

"Can you repair it?" Qui-Gon asked.

"I should be able to, with Bee-Zed. You two go on."

"But that bounty hunter may still be out there," Obi-Wan said.

"If he comes to the ship, we can handle him."

"Chances are the bounty hunter is trying to stop us from reaching our destination," Qui-Gon said, "I'll need you to come with me Obi-Wan, and keep an eye out for him."

"Good luck," Dane said as he opened the ramp for the two Jedi, "I'll have the ship ready to go the moment you get back. Watch yourselves."

"You too," Qui-Gon said as he and his apprentice set out into the fog-covered plains of Iago.


	10. Chapter 10: Barge

**Chapter 10**

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan marched across the grassy plains making towards a group of high hills. Qui-Gon could feel a pull in the Force, leading him in that direction. The mists hung about their ankles. High slopes rose up all around them, while rocky peaks tipped out of the top of the clouds in the sky.

"I sense danger," Obi-Wan informed his master, "An awareness, almost. Like we're being watched, or hunted."  
"Yes, I'm afraid you're probably right," Qui-Gon nodded, "I feel it too. Stay sharp. I believe we're getting closer."

Qui-Gon continued straight ahead to the foggy horizon while Obi-Wan constantly checked back over his shoulders, looking out for the pilot of their attacking ship.

Dane stood underneath his ship as he tinkered with one of the control panels. It appeared as though many of the panels themselves were charred or damaged, but most of the circuitry was still intact.

"Looks like we were pretty lucky there Bee-Zed," he said to his droid who was working on another panel nearby.

"Yes sir."

Dane shook his head at the skinny metal figure. "Such a conversationalist."

Suddenly they heard a large crashing sound nearby. Dane ducked down under the ship, yanking the droid down with him.

"What was that?" he looked around, but couldn't see anything with the fog thickening, "Something's out there. Back in the ship.

Dane and BZ-9 quietly made their way back to the ramp door and inside the _Comet_. Dane hurried to the view screen in the cockpit to take a look.

"Sir, there is a thermal reading moving towards us."

"I bet it's the pilot of that ship," Dane said peering out, "A bounty hunter, no doubt."

"Sir, it's stopped moving."

Dane looked on the thermal scanner and saw a large, human-shaped red mass. Everything went still for a moment. Then suddenly the mass made a quick movement and the ship was rocked by a blaster.

"He's shooting at us! Damn! Get the guns ready! If you can get him in sight, shoot!"

Dane grabbed his own blaster from his belt and ran to the ship's entrance. That bounty hunter wasn't going to get in here.

But Barge was already at the door the moment Dane got there. Dane paused for a moment in front of the large bulk of a man who had just walked into his ship. Before he could make any more movements, Barge grabbed Dane by the throat with his solid, white gauntlet.

"Where are the Jedi?" he asked in a deep and threatening voice.

"There are no Jedis here," Dane choked.

Liar," he replied coldly, "Where are they?"

"Get off my ship," Dane said weakly. Barge simply laughed at him.

"Tell me where they went!" he suddenly burst out in anger, tossing Dane against the wall. Dane collapsed on the ground wheezing. He looked up at the menacing bounty hunter standing over him. He feared for himself and his ship, and he feared for his friends. But he would not betray them.

The two Jedis marched up the slopes of the foothills. Qui-Gon was following his instincts. The orb in his pockets was of no use now. It was just constantly glowing. He knew he was close, but only with connection with the Force would lead him now.

Far to the right of the two hikers, high in the hills already, a dark figure looked down on them. Darth Maul watch Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice make their way through the hills of Iago. He peered with his frightening yellow eyes out from under his black hood. His cloak was wrapped around his body like a shadow.

Darth Maul moved quickly across the grassy hilltops. He moved so fast and smooth that it almost looked like he was floating. He knew he had to keep his distance, but his master had told him that he needed not to worry about them sensing his presence. Lord Sidious would tend to that. The Jedi Order was failing, the old Sith lord had told his apprentice. Their sense of the Force was waning. And this Galen knew the answers why, and how to change it. It was up to Maul to make sure that the Jedi would never learn this.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were now quite high in the hills, being secretly pursued by the cloaked Sith away to the east. But suddenly they heard a noise from far off back to where they came from.

Darth maul grinned. His bounty hunter looked to finally be doing his job. He stared down at the two Jedis who also stopped to turn and look.

"What was that?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Dane must be in trouble," Qui-Gon deduced. He looked back to the direction of his destination and pondered. "That bounty hunter or whoever he is, he's here to prevent us from finding this man, I am sure. I must keep going. But I must go alone. Obi-Wan, go back to the ship and help out Dane."

"Yes Master. Good luck."

"You too. May the Force be with you."

And with that they parted. Obi-Wan turned back town the hill, with Qui-Gon continued trekking up.

Obi-Wan watched his master wander further up the slope before he turned back the opposite direction. Then he turned the other way and began on the downward slope. Obi-Wan concentrated on keeping his senses alert, staying on watch for any threat. That threat was now coming straight in his direction. Down below, Obi-Wan glimpsed the figure of Barge marching on the plains towards the very hill he was now on.  
Obi-Wan crouched down in the fog, watching his pursuer make his way up the slope. Obi-Wan never gave much thought to bounty hunters before. They were just one of those unfortunate parts of the universe. He had never had one on his trail before, but surely a bounty hunter would be no match for a Jedi.

Barge thought the opposite however. He knew he was more than a match for any Jedi. He gripped his heavy blaster in both his hands as be stomped up the hill, trampling the grass underneath his boots.

Barge saw the Jedi ahead, higher up on the knoll. But for now he acted as though he saw nothing, luring his prey into a false sense of security. He could see Obi-Wan as a red mass through his heat-vision visor installed in his helmet. Then, with a shift motion, he took aim and fired.

Obi-Wan leaped out of the way of the blast, sensing it coming a split second before. The laser made a huge divot in the ground where Obi-Wan was crouching, sending dirt flying into the air.

Barge was now running to the top of the hill like a wild bantha. Obiwan had found refuge behind a buried boulder for the time being. He drew his lightsaber from his belt and turned on the blue blade.

Barge was now at Obi-wan's height and making his way straight towards the boulder. Obi-Wan leapt over the rock, sailing towards Barge. Barge, lifted his blaster cannon up again, but Obi-Wan kicked it out of his arms as he landed. Obi-wan took a swing with his saber, but Barge managed to duck and roll away.

As he rolled, Barge grabbed a smaller blaster pistol from his belt and began firing at Obi-Wan who merely deflected the shots away.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" Obi-Wan tried to get the bounty hunter to answer. But Barge was in no talking mood.

Barge took aim at Obi-Wan's hands and blasted the lightsaber right out of them. Obi-wan threw his hands back as he felt the heat of the blaster. Before he could recover his lightsaber, Barge was tackling him. They both tumbled down and wrestled on the ground.

From high above, Darth Maul looked down on the fight, very disappointed with his hired help. He was supposed to distract both of the Jedi, not just one. The other was now well on his way to the target. But Darth Maul couldn't do anything to hinder him. He was given strict orders by Lord Sidious not to reveal himself to the Jedi. Not yet.

He gritted his teeth. He would have to think of something, before the older Jedi reached the old man at the top of the hill. He ran off, leaving the bounty hunter and the padawan to their skirmish. It was time to take matters into his own hands.

Obi-Wan still rolled on the ground with the bounty hunter. They were now rolling dangerously close to the cliff edge of the hill. Obi-Wan tried to get untangled but Barge kept grabbing him back, always reaching for his throat.

Obi-Wan tried desperately to use the Force to summon his lightsaber, but he wasn't even sure whereabouts it was laying now. Yet just as he caught it out of the corner of his eye and reach his hand around, barge and thrown him over the edge.

The cliff-face was a sheer wall downwards, but there was the occasional jut of rock here and there, and luckily Obi-Wan landed on the nearest one, not far from the top. He landed in a stooping position on the ledge and quickly caught his breath. He tried meditating as his master had taught him to do in the past, but he just couldn't do it. He didn't have to look up to know that the bounty hunter was right over top of him, ready to make his final blow.


	11. Chapter 11: Galen

**Chapter 11**

Qui-Gon marched up the mountain in silent thought. Down below the faint sounds of battle barely reached his ears. Obi-Wan could take care of it. His young apprentice was very gifted. But he knew that he had to reach this man Galen and learn what he had to say.

Finally Qui-Gon caught a glimpse of a structure sitting at the top of a small summit, the summit of the mountain he was now climbing. It was a smaller peak than the towering alps around hi, but it was still a long hike up.

The building was very simply made, almost like a hut built of the wood from the forests which grew on the slopes, as sparse as they were on this eerie planet. A breath of hope rushed into Qui-Gon. At least this long journey was now amounting to something. At least now there was some proof that he had not made a mistake and taken a wrong path.

Qui-Gon could feel a strong surge of the Force as he approached the doorway of the tiny shelter. He stood on the threshold for a moment, taking in the rays of the Force and calming his mind.

"Come in," a voice spoke from inside. Qui-Gon entered.

The house was richly decorated with many simple, woven rugs hanging from the walls, and beams of lights bouncing around the room, though Qui-Gon could not see their source. But all in all, it was a simple dwelling. Technology did not play much part here.

At the other end of the room stood a very imposing figure. It was an old man who looked human but still not quite human. His ears were long and pointed and his skin was very white. His fingers were abnormally long and slender. He had long white hair, yet his face was smooth and bare. He had very wizened old eyes. He wore a long, bulky robe of earthy colours mixed with bright reds and blues.

"It has been a while since I have had a visitor," he spoke in a calming, yet important voice.

"You are Galen," Qui-Gon said more of a statement than a question, believing he already knew the answer.

"I am."

"I am Qui-Gon Jinn. I've been sent to seek you."

"Sent? Or did you not wish to seek me yourself."

"I did wish to. I have many questions."

"Come in, come in. It's been a long time since I have had someone to talk to. And even though I sense doom in your coming, I shall be happy of your company."

Qui-Gon was led into a larger, circular room where Galen motioned for him to sit on the ground as he was making to do.

"You have passed the trials I have set," he said as he stared Qui-Gon in the eyes, "I am sorry, but I wish only to protect myself."

"Protect yourself?" Qui-Gon asked, "The Sith have been gone for almost a thousand years."

"Yes," Galen said with a chuckle, "I meant protect myself from too many questions and answer seekers. That is why I set the trials, hiding my location. So that only those who prove themselves worthy in the Force many be able to find me.

"You have done so. You have passed the trial of patience, the trial of swiftness, the trial of combat, the trial of concentration, and the trial of true spirit. And now you are here. So what brings you here, Qui-Gon Jinn?"

"You are not a Jedi?" Qui-Gon asked as his first question.

"No," Galen shook his white-haired head, "But not only the Jedi may know the Force. I am merely a pupil of the Force. Nothing more."

Qui-Gon now spoke of what was truly bothering him. "I fear that the Jedi Order is weakening."

"And why do you fear this?"

"We have not been attuned to the Force, not enough to detect an ambush, not even from a simple enemy."

"Mmmmm," Galen hung his head down and nodded.

"I fear our powers are weakening. Master Yoda and the council fear this too."

"Ah yes, Yoda," Galen nodded, "He came to see me once also, years ago. What a wonderful youngster."

Qui-Gon almost laughed at the idea of Yoda being young, but he kept his Jedi composure. "Is there anything to our fears?"

Galen's face turned serious again as he sighed and stood up again. He turned out towards the window of his mountain lodge and peered out over the hilltops.

"I can feel it also. It has become clearer over time." He turned back to face Qui-Gon.

"There is a rift in the Force. The dark side is growing stronger. As strong as the days when the Sith were in power."

"But the Sith are no more."

"Yes. But though the Sith are gone, the dark side does not cease to exist. As long as the light of the Force exists, so to will the dark."

"But no it's growing?" Qui-Gon asked as he folded his arms in the sleeves of his robe and walked further into the room.

"Every Jedi exists in the Force, as do all things. But the difference is that the Jedi can feel their place in the Force."

"And now you say the dark side is growing. And this is what is affecting the Jedi."

"The Jedi's awareness of the Force is being blocked out by the dark side. It is clouding everything as it approaches."

"But in the ancient days," Qui-Gon now wondered, "When the Sith existed, the Jedi-"

"Yes, I know," Galen finished his thought, "Jedi powers were still strong. This is a strange phenomenon. But the history of the Force does not repeat.

"Listen to me very carefully Qui-Gon," the old man now came closer, "The Force is no longer in balance. If it is not brought back into balance, the Jedi Order may have reached the end of its days."

"How do we bring it back into balance?" Qui-Gon shook his head, trying to understand, trying to sense the Force as Galen appeared to be able to.

Galen now sat down on the floor again with his legs crossed. Qui-Gon bent down on one knee to listen.

"I have pondered this in my studies many times. And it is clear to me now. There is only one who can bring the Force back into balance. How he is to do so is not foretold. But his coming is. He will be the Chosen One. He will bring balance to the Force. If he does not, the Jedi's power will wane. Their ability to use the force will weaken. It is already weakening. And it will only get worse in the years to come. This is the time of great strife for the Jedi Order."

Qui-Gon was stunned at everything Galen was telling him, and somehow he knew it was all the truth. Galen was a proven disciple of the Force, learned in its ways. He made a motion to rise again. "I must inform the council as soon as I can."

"Patience. There is more. Much more for you to know."

But before Qui-Gon could hear what more there was, a great clamour came from just beyond the walls of the mountain shelter. Qui-Gon perked his head up. He heard a barrage of blaster shots and the buzz of Obi-Wan's lightsaber. He heard rumblings which echoed up on the hilltop. The bounty hunter was close and Obi-Wan was in trouble.

"Your apprentice is in danger," Galen looked at Qui-Gon, "Go."

"I will return," Qui-Gon nodded and ran outside to come to the aid of his pupil.


	12. Chapter 12: The Prophecy

**Chapter 12**

Obi-wan brushed himself off and looked around for his lightsaber./ He saw it about twenty yards away, fallen in between two rocks. He held out his open hand and the lightsaber sailed through the air into it.

Obi-Wan looked up at the cliff he just fell from. The fog clung to the rocks so thickly he couldn't tell exactly how high it went. He took a leap and grabbed a hold of the nearest outcropping ledge. Then he grabbed another through the fog, and soon emerged back onto the solid mountain ground.

Ahead of him was the bounty hunter, making his way towards the hut on the peak of the hill, which had just come into view. He followed in pursuit, knowing he could not let the bounty hunter reach Qui-Gon.

Obi-Wan was able to gain a lot of ground on Barge, using his enhanced Jedi speed "Stop!" he called out, which only enticed Barge to turn around and send off a few un-aimed blaster shots towards his direction. Obi-Wan leapt to the side to avoid them. He bounced right back up and continued his pursuit.

Obi-Wan realized he wasn't going to reach the bounty hunter in time by simply running. He reached his hand out as he continued following up the hill and used the Force to send a large clump of snow straight into the bounty hunters path. The clump rammed into Barge, blasting into powdery white pieces and sending the bounty hunter off his feet.

Obi-Wan now made a flying leap towards the downed huntsman. But Barge acted quickly, grabbing a disc-shaped object from his chest and flinging it at the oncoming Jedi. It flew into Obi-wan and trapped him in a net of blue laser beams. Obi-Wan fell on the Ground beside Barge, trapped in his elect5ronic web.

Barge now stood over Obi-Wan and pressed a button which released Obi-Wan from his net. He then picked Obi-Wan up by the front of his robes and used his mighty strength to toss him into the air. Obi-Wan was sent flying into the wall of a cliff, and fell with a thud.

Barge quickly whipped out his heavy blaster and fired off as many shots as he could. They all slammed into the cliff face, making loud, resonating noise and sending off spurts of fire power. Obi-Wan ran away from the blasts, staying just ahead of them.

Qui-Gon ran from Galen's hut to see Obi-Wan engaged in battle with the ferocious bounty hunter. He ran towards them, watching as Barge aimed a blast right ahead of his padawans, sending him almost back down the hill.

As he approached, Qui-Gon jumped into the air, landing just behind Barge, swiping at him with his green blade. Barge fell backwards, avoiding the lightsaber. He brought his blaster up and fired at Qui-Gon, who jumped again, out of the way of he blasts.

Obi-Wan noticed that his teacher had come to his aid and quickly ran to help him fend off the bounty hunter. Barge realized that he was outnumbered, especially going against two Jedi, and knew he had to change his battle plan. He grabbed a mini-detonator from his ammunition belt and tossed it a small distance away. It blew up, sending a spray of snow and dirt everywhere. He used the distraction to gain some distance from the Jedi and reach higher ground.

Meanwhile, as Barge fought both of the Jedi, Darth Maul crept around a large boulder. He watched the battle, seeing that the bounty hunter had finally done his job and distracted both Jedi, and quickly turned his gaze to Galen's abode. He moved like a ghost as he ran towards the hut and slinked inside.

Barge realized that, battling two Jedi knights, they would soon get the upper hand. He had to create an advantage for himself. He watched from his cliff as Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi closed in on him as he punched some commands on his electronic wristband.

On either side of the imposing bounty hunter, the two Jedis leaped onto the cliffs. They held their lightsabers out in front of them, indicating to the hunter that he was now trapped. Barge paused for a few seconds and then fired towards the older Jedi in a fury, bounding off of the cliff before Obi-Wan could reach him from the other side. Qui-Gon rolled out of the way of his blaster shots and quickly moved to follow back down the cliff. Obi-Wan was already leaping off, hurrying to catch the bounty hunter.

All of a sudden they heard a whirring noise making its way over the slopes of the mountain towards them. Over the rise came half a dozen hovering blaster droids, firing their laser blasts towards the Jedi. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan quickly turned to fight off these new additions to the battle, sending the blaster shots deflecting all over the mountain slope.

Brooding with evil, the Sith warrior Darth Maul entered the house of Galen. He wore his black hood up over his painted face, his arms held at his sides, bracing his lightsaber. He peered around the hut, sensing the presence of the master of the Force.

Darth Maul sauntered into the next room where the old sage stood on the other side patiently. Darth Maul lowered the dark hood, revealing his spiky, painted head. His cold, yellow eyes stared like arrows across to the white-robed Galen.

"I was wondering when you would find me," Galen spoke calmly.

"What have you told the Jedi?" the Sith demanded in his icy tone.

"I told him what he needed to know," Galen said sternly, "The rest he will learn on his own."

Darth Maul released the silver handle of his lightsaber from his belt. "If you have not yet told them of our existence, then I must make sure it stays that way."

Galen looked unconcerned with the weapon in the hands of this vile warrior, raising his head to meet his eyes. "I have known that the Sith have survived for this last millennium. I have felt them, despite how well your master has worked to cloud their presence. But I feel your secret will be revealed soon. Only, under who's terms?"

"This time of the Sith has come again," Darth Maul declared, "The time of the Jedi is soon over. And you must not interfere."

With that statement, two red, glowing blades came from either end of his lightsaber, their steady hum filling the silence in the room.

"I have waited for this for a long time," Galen nodded, "And even if you defeat me, I am confident that the future of the Jedi will be quite safe."

The Sith Apprentice glared at his adversary. "And I am confident that the hopes of the Jedi will die with you."

And so he sprung his attack.

The red lasers of his double-bladed lightsaber spun towards the old, white-skinned man. But just as the one blade came down on him, Galen stuck out his hand, stopping the saber in mid-air with a flash of pale blue light. Darth Maul struck again, but again his attempts were blocked by Galen's use of the Force.

And so the fight began, though only one of them was armed. Even with no lightsaber, Galen managed to deflect all of Darth Maul's blows, creating temporary shields around him with the air. Strike after strike was blocked by his hands and the flashes of that same blue light.

Darth Maul flipped over the old man, attempting a strike from behind. But Galen swung back his arm, blocking again. Maul swung low with his other blade, but the sage leapt backwards, away from the Sith lord. Then he quickly brought back his arm, and pushed it forward, sending a Force push towards the red and black warrior. Darth Maul was hit by the invisible impact and flew back into the wall of the hut.

They engaged once more in intense battle, with each of Maul's attacks being met with Galen's Force shields. The Sith's attacks came faster and faster, but the old man was not phased. He continued to block, moving his feet around the room.

But then Darth Maul saw his moment for attack. Galen moved away from the Sith and motioned to send another invisible wall towards his attacker. But at that moment, the Sith struck out as well, sending his own use of the Force forward, combining it with the great power of the Dark Side. Small streams of blue lightening went with the invisible wall of air slamming into the wizened guru, knocking him backwards. Then, before he could even reach the ground, Darth Maul flew forward, holding out his lightsaber straight out in front of him. The red blade went straight through the stomach of Galen, searing a hole through his belly.

Darth Maul gritted his disgusting, yellow teeth in a horrible smile as he watched the old student of the Force stare straight ahead, feeling death creep upon him. Without saying another word, only a look of satisfied hatred clinging to his face, the Sith lord turned off his blade and stood up straight as the eyes of Galen fell shut.

A loud, roaring noise came from outside the hut, warning Lord Maul that it was time to flee. With one more glance to his fallen foe, he left the room and escaped the hut at the top of the hill.

Qui-Gon and his apprentice battled the new blaster droids with relative ease, but were still unable to reach Barge who was hiding behind the cover of the flying, round robots. Barge once more took out his heavy blaster which was so large he had to rest it on his shoulder as he aimed. He fired a large blast towards Qui-Gon who ran out of the way.

Obi-Wan tried to run towards Barge to stop him before he could take another shot, but he was blocked by two of the blaster droids. Obi-Wan hacked one of them in half with his lightsaber, but had to roll back to avoid the shots from the other.

Qui-Gon managed to hack away two other droids with one blow, sending them down to the snowy ground in a pile of shattered metal. With a flying leap to Obi-Wan's side of the slope, another droid was downed by Qui-Gon's green blade. But just as things were looking up for the two Jedi, another six droids came over the rise. They were now trapped between this new set of blaster droids and the fire of Barge's heavy blaster.

Yet just before the new set of droids were able to make their attack, a loud, rumbling roar was heard as the snow-covered floor of the mountain slope shook. Then suddenly appearing over the rise was the triangular form of _The Comet_. Dane's silver ship fired its primary guns which sat just under the cockpit at the head of the wedge-shaped hull, taking out each of the blaster droids.

The jet-power of the ship began blowing the snow around the air, creating a momentary chaos which caused Barge to let his guard down. Obi-Wan used this distraction to attack the large bounty hunter, knocking his heavy blaster out of his hands with a quick, upwards swing.

Barge knocked the Jedi onto the ground near to the edge of the cliff. Obi-Wan slid along the snow but stopped himself before he tumbled over the side. Barge now grabbed a standard-class blaster from his belt and began firing at the downed Jedi padawan. Obi-Wan used his Jedi reflexes to bring up his lightsaber just in time to deflect the blaster shots back at Barge, landing one of the deflected shots into the chest of the bounty hunter.

Barge fell back a bit, realizing that he was hit. Rage suddenly encased the bounty hunter. He ripped off his helmet, revealing a horribly scarred, pale-blue face. With a yell of anguish, he brought his blaster back up, determined to finish off this young Jedi who dealt him his fatal wound.

Qui-Gon saw what was happening, and knew he needed to act quickly. He brought back both his arms with his palms facing outwards, concentrating deeply on gathering the Force of the area around him. Just as Barge was about to bring down his blaster to finish Obi-Wan off, Qui-Gon pushed his arms out, releasing his energy.

A huge ball of snow gathered together and rushed towards Barge in a large, white ball. The impact of the mini, Force-made avalanche knocked Barge off of his balance, sending him over the side of the cliff, plummeting to his death below.

Obi-Wan sighed with relief as Qui-Gon ran over to help him to his feet. They both looked over the edge, just catching the end of the bounty hunter's final fall.

Dane somehow managed to land _The Comet_ a little ways down on the mountain slope where it proved to be a little wider. When the ship was securely landed, both he and BZ-9 exited the ship and hurried over to the two Jedi.

"Are you guys okay?" Dane called out as he ran, with hi skinny droid trying to keep pace but falling behind rapidly.

"We're fine," Qui-Gon assured him.

"Thanks for the help," Obi-Wan smiled to Dane.

"I almost wasn't able to," Dane told them, "That bounty hunter came to the ship to look for you. I thought he was going to kill me when I didn't tell him here you were."

"But why was he after us? I still can't understand that?" Obi-Wan mused.

Qui-Gon suddenly realized the purpose for the bounty hunter's attack. "Unless he was here only to distract us," he said with a hint of worry in hi voice. Then without warning, he ran from the group towards the hut at the top of the hill again.

Qui-Gon hurried into the house of Galen only to find the wise master lying motionless on the floor in a mass of white robes. A sizzling black hole was burned through his stomach. Qui-Gon ran to kneel by his side.

"Master Galen," he spoke desperately, putting his arm under his head to raise him up.

Galen then slowly and groggily opened his eyes again. He was on the verge of death, but still attempted to talk to his final visitor, his final student.

"Qui-Gon….."

"Master Galen, hold on. We have a ship nearby. Just hold on."

"No, I cannot…." He continued with a noticeable struggle in hi voice, "Qui-Gon, listen to me…… the chosen one….. you will be the one to find him….. you must train him…… everything is drawing close…."

"Master Galen, who did this to you?" Qui-Gon asked, confused by what was happening there on Iago, why the bounty hunter was following them, why this ancient master was now dying in his arms.

"Goodbye Qui-Gon. May the Force be with you…."

And with that the body of Galen disappeared. Only his white, billowy robes were left in Qui-Gon's arms. Qui-Gon looked in shock at what had happened, then took a moment to hear once more the words on the great master of the Force. He was gone now, and many of the secrets of the Force were locked once more.


	13. Chapter 13: Tatooine

**Chapter 13**

The _Comet_ sailed towards the megalopolis planet of Coruscant after the long journey from Iago at the end of the galaxy. Qui-Gon was quiet during most of the voyage. Dane would constantly ask questions about the bounty hunter and what happened at the top of the hill, but he was mostly answered by Obi-Wan.

Qui-Gon sat in the cockpit behind Dane, looking out over the cityscape through the view shield. The one thought that had been on his mind the entire journey was about how Galen's body just disappeared. It had vanished into nothingness. Or perhaps not into nothingness. Perhaps into the Force. Did he become one with the Force?  
Qui-Gon wondered at this. He put the idea into the back of his mind. He had to focus now. The future of the Jedi Order was at risk. But someday, he would learn the secrets of Galen, seen by Qui-Gon only at his death. He made a silent promise to himself that day.

Dane landed his ship on the Senate landing pads after receiving permission from the ground control. The sliver jet landed smoothly and the hatch door opened, letting out the three companions and the skinny, robotic co-pilot.

"Well, this has definitely been an adventure," Dane said to the two Jedi as they stood outside the ship, "Reminds me of old times."

"Thank you Dane," Qui-Gon shook his hand, "It was really good to see you again."

"Obi-Wan," Dane now shook the hand of the younger Jedi, "Keep an eye on him. Don't let him be too serious all the time."

"I will do my best," Obi-Wan replied with a small chuckle.

"Really though, this has been fun. I do miss the old adventures. If you even have need of my pilot services again, just let me know."

"Of course Dane," Qui-Gon said with a smile as his friend and his droid reentered their ship. The two Jedis watched as the _Comet_ lifted up and took off, returning to Malastare.

Through the blackness of space sailed the long, slender form of the Sith Infiltrator. A brooding silence enveloped the ship, much the same way as it enveloped its pilot. The mysterious Lord Maul left his cockpit for a moment, leaving the ship under the control of the autopilot. He wandered over to his com station, his black hood over his painted face, his arms crossed together in his cloak.

In the center of the small, round table appeared the blue, holographic form of Darth Maul's master, Lord Sidious. Lord Sidious was cloaked and hooded in much the same fashion as his apprentice.

"It is done, my master," Maul spoke in his soft, menacing voice.

"Good," came the low, drawn-out reply, "He is dead then."

"Yes my master. He cannot tell the Jedi of our existence now."

"Excellent. And you did not reveal yourself to the Jedi either?"

"No my master."

"Good work, Lord Maul. You have been patient, and do not worry. Our time for revenge is soon approaching."

Darth Maul bowed before the holographic image in front of him. "Yes, my master."

Qui-Gon stood before the Jedi Council once more, describing the events at Iago and the preaching of Galen before his death. He left out only one detail. Galen's dying words about Qui-Gon being the one to find this Jedi of prophesy he kept to himself.

"This prophesy of a chosen one has been known to this council for some time," Mace Windu replied, "However, we did not know when it would come to importance."

"Perhaps he is already among the Jedi we have trained?" Ki-Adi Mundi's calm, soothing voice piped in.

"I don't think so," Qui-Gon answered, "It didn't seem as though Galen believed we have found him yet."  
"Then patience we shall have," Yoda recommended, "But all our hope's we should not put on this prediction alone. Strength the Jedi Order must show in the times ahead."

"Certainly there is some danger ahead," Windu added, "Who was it that tracked you to Iago? And how was this Galen killed?"

"I can't say. But certainly the answers to these questions will unfold," said Qui-Gon.

"Until then, let the words of Galen remain close within this council," Master Windu ordered.

With that, Qui-Gon thanked the council members and was dismissed. He took the hyperlift to one of the lower floors of the Jedi Temple where his apprentice was waiting for him. Obi-Wan was standing out on a balcony looking over the vast cityscape of Coruscant. Night was setting in over the high towers and flowing traffic, the sky only lit by the lights of the buildings and flying cruisers.

"So the council knows everything?" Obi-Wan asked as his master came out onto the balcony to join him.

"They know what we have learned," he said in his trademark stoic manner.

"Do you believe in this idea of a chosen one?"

"I do," Qui-Gon looked at his apprentice and nodded confidently. The thought had crossed his mind that perhaps he had already found this chosen one. Perhaps his young apprentice would prove to be the Jedi who would bring balance to the Force. But he had disregarded that idea. He himself did not find Obi-Wan, but was only assigned as his teacher. Though Qui-Gon had no doubt; Obi-Wan Kenobi would be an influential mover of events in the time to come.

"I can't figure out why that bounty hunter was there? Or who was it that killed Master Galen?"

"We can't be sure," Qui-Gon shook his head, "But the answers will come. Be patient."

"If the Jedi's ability to use the Force is truly weakening, I don't think we can be patient for too long."

"Don't worry young padawan. The Chosen one is out there somewhere, and he will be found," Qui-Gon said as he went to the edge of the balcony and stared off into the vastness of the stars and space above Coruscant.

Meanwhile, on the far-out, desert planet of Tatooine, a young boy was also looking towards the sky. Though night was setting over Qui-Gon and Coruscant, the bright day sun's of Tatooine were beating down on young Anakin Skywalker.

He was working outside of the Sand-built slave quarters which he called his home, tinkering with what appeared to be a scrap pile of metal.

Near the wall of his home, a skinny droid with no coverings, stringed together only with a metal skeleton and many colored wires, sat on a bench holding one of his legs which had not yet been attached to his body.

"Master Ani," the high-pitched voice of the droid voiced up, "I really do not feel too complete."

""Don't worry Threepio," the sandy-haired boy answered, "I'll get to it in a second."

But young Anakin was distracted by strange thoughts running through his head. Somehow, he felt that somewhere out in the universe was a calling, just for him. He stood up straight and left what he was doing, walking a small ways out from his house, looking out over the sand dune horizon beyond towards the blue skies which led to the vastness of the galaxy.

He had a destiny, and it was not here on this lonely planet. He knew it. He could feel it. He knew he was special. He wanted so badly to leave his desert home and explore the strange worlds. C-3P0 watched as Anakin continued to look towards the sky. The half-built droid had no idea what his maker was thinking about. And neither of them had any idea that thousands of light years away, the high councils and greats of the Jedi were discussing his very existence.

There on Tatooine, far from the bustle of Coruscant, far from the musings of Qui-Gon Jinn, the Chosen One waited to meet his fate.


End file.
